


The Mermaid And His Love

by hips_of_steel



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Drowning CW, Human Alfred, M/M, Mermaid Ivan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-21 05:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2455889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hips_of_steel/pseuds/hips_of_steel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mermaids are shy, and often avoid contact with people. But driven back from the feeding grounds by harsh weather, Ivan must hunt humans in order for his pod to survive.<br/>But what happens when you realize that you're in love with the human you let escape?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One: An Unfortunate Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> There is a lot of talk of drowning, so be advised if you're sensitive to that. And as said in the summary, Ivan does hunt humans. A dead body will briefly make an appearance, but it's not focused on in too much detail. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

The draw of the ocean had always pulled at Alfred's heart.

When he was little, it had been because he had stood there, waiting for Arthur to return.

As he grew older, it was to pretend he was harvesting the abundance of fish, as Arthur had once done.

Now, he supposed it was nostalgia that made him want to take a swim.

It was the middle of fall. The waters were warm, and the currents weren't that strong. What did he have to fear?

He swam back and forth between the shore and a few outlying rocks for a few hours, until he was exhausted.

He left for his hotel room, dry and warm.

He'd be back again tomorrow.

* * *

Ivan watched his sisters swim, and from the flicks of their tails, he could tell they were worried.

They were a small group. Normally their kind would travel in large pods. Better success hunting then, for many things.

Finally they heard a familiar call cutting through the water.

Toris' hands held a decent sized fish. He approached Ivan, and the two exchanged a nod.

He divided it into three. Sofia and Natalia were each given a piece. Ivan and Toris split the remaining one.

Natalia frowned at the sight of the two splitting the small piece. She tried to make Toris eat some of hers, but he shook his head, refusing.

Ivan scouted the area. Earlier a human had been swimming about, making hunting difficult.

Finally, he decided it was clear. The four settled down. Toris held Natalia in his arms, and Sofia was near to them, sleeping calmly.

Ivan swam to the surface. They had experienced a hard year, and had had to return to the tropical waters early. Now, winter was about to roll in, and their reserves were nearly gone.

Usually the pods were matriarchal, but Ivan was the leader of this pod. He had kept his sisters alive. When Toris had tried to join, Ivan had been the one to test him, and he had passed.

Ivan looked up at the moon, feeling the air on his face. His gills, still submerged, continued to extract oxygen from the water.

Finally, he pulled himself onto the rocks, and felt them seal. His lungs, which he had not used in a while, opened, allowing him to breath the way the humans did.

He re-familiarized himself with the smells of the air world, for they would be important tomorrow.

His pod was desperate to survive.

Tomorrow, as the strongest, he needed to hunt the most dangerous prey.

Humans.

* * *

Alfred had borrowed his brother's kayak, and enjoyed the feeling of the paddle cutting through the water.

In this kayak, he could go out further than he could while swimming, and experience more of the wonders of the ocean.

Finally, he turned and realized that he couldn't see the shore. He shrugged, continuing on his way. He'd turn around in another half hour or so.

He was thinking about stopping at his favorite restaurant for some fish and chips when he got back when suddenly the kayak stopped.

Alfred whirled. Had he got caught up in something?

That's when something huge rose out of the water, and grabbed him, pulling him out of the kayak.

* * *

Ivan had followed the kayak all morning. If the damn creature was dumb enough to flee the company of its fellows, it was going to be lunch.

He'd managed to grab the male, but he was strong. Ivan tried wrapping his tail around his legs, but all it did was make it harder to drown the damn thing, because it was kicking him, and he couldn't propel himself downwards.

He looked into the eyes of the male, and found himself caught by those sky blue orbs. The creature's hair was yellow, several shades brighter than his.

Suddenly he felt something tug at his heart. He realized that this one, this human, couldn't die.

He released the human, and shoved him back to the surface, quickly fleeing towards the darker waters.

* * *

Al burst out of the water, coughing, and feeling like he'd been run over by a truck.

Finally, once he'd caught his breath, he muttered. "What the hell was that thing?"

His superstitious mind quickly eliminated things, leaving him with one possibility.

But he wondered why it had let him go.

It had held him, covering his mouth, and wrapped it's tail around his legs, shoving on his chest and stomach, as though it was trying to force the air out of his lungs.

But then it had looked at him. Violet eyes, ivory hair.

And released him.

He managed to right the kayak and get inside. Once he had the paddle, he headed back to shore, hoping he'd make it.

He collapsed as he reached the shore, and heard the noises of people crying out.

Finally he felt himself being lifted into an ambulance, and carried away.

* * *

_"No food?"_ Sofia asked.

Ivan couldn't look at her. He swam past her, ignoring the raised eyebrow.

Toris was working on a small rock, covered in decent sized oysters. Ivan settled down next to him, and with a sharp pointed rock, broke the shells open.

He allowed himself an extra oyster that night. He'd ranged farther than he should have, and his energy was low.

Tomorrow, he'd need to take someone nearer to the coast. It was a greater risk, but the catch might be easier.

Finally, Toris approached him. _"From the way you move, you had something at one point."_

_"It looked at me, and... Is it possible to bond with their kind?"_

Toris' eyes grew huge. _"A bond? A mate bond?"_

_"I think so."_

Toris went silent, and then spoke. _"It is rare, but not unheard of."_

_"Well, in any case, I felt the pain this human was feeling, so I let him go. I will hunt again tomorrow. Perhaps you should join me."_

_"I was never taught how to hunt humans. I would be a hindrance."_

Ivan nodded, admitting that one who was untrained would be unable to help. Humans were so dangerous that only males were taught how to hunt them, and only a few pods, the strongest or the most desperate, would actually act on it.

He hated to do it, because it was so dangerous, and it was likely he would be injured, but it was his only chance to save his family.

* * *

Bruised and bloody.

Al felt like he'd been beaten.

His legs were alright, though the doctors told him he looked like he'd been tied up with a giant rope.

It was his ribs that he worried about the most. The arms the had not only kept him secured but left bruises up and down his entire body in an attempt to murder him, had done a pretty nasty job to them as well.

But it was that look of regret that left Al wondering what the hell had happened down there. The goddamn thing had just left him go, and then shoved him back up to the surface.

He left after a few days. Matthew invited him to come and stay at his place for a while, but he declined. He'd never really gotten along with Carlos all that well, anyhow.

* * *

Ivan brought back the body of a young woman.

Sofia looked at him, eyes growing wide.

_"We are desperate. This was our only chance."_

Sofia finally nodded. She hadn't seen a dead human in years.

The body, she saw, was bruised, the legs almost crushed. She watched Ivan swim off a little ways, to be by himself. It was an atonement of sorts.

Natalia and Toris returned, empty-handed, and when they saw what Ivan had brought, they all settled down for a grim feast.

If this was their only chance of survival, they would have to leave soon. Too many people disappear, and humans start to go looking.

It was a lesson that Sofia's parents hadn't learned.


	2. Part Two: Try To Forgive Me

Al had avoided the ocean, but then he heard about disappearances.

Humans being swept away, but their bodies never appeared, no matter how soon the Coast Guard showed up.

Eventually, a young woman had escaped.

From the description, Al knew in an instant.

_Broken ribs._

_Internal organs were bruised._

_Legs nearly crushed._

Al traveled to see her.

She woke up after a few days, and when he asked her about it, she spoke softly.

"It was like you say. A mermaid, or man, I guess. Violet eyes. But he didn't let me go. I was lucky. Something attacked him, and he let go of me. I managed to get away. It helped that I was wearing a life jacket."

Alfred nodded. "I'd suggest you don't tell anyone else what happened."

"Understood."

* * *

Ivan nursed his wound with his sister's help, bitterly angry.

Natalia glared at Toris, but her mate ignored her, tending to the scratches left on his arms.

Sofia floated in between the three of them, silent and afraid to say anything.

Ivan finally snarled. _"If I can't hunt, how are we to survive?"_

_"We've built up some reserves. We'll last through the winter now."_

_"We won't. It isn't enough!"_

_"YOU'VE BROUGHT TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO US! REMEMBER YOUR PARENTS?!"_

Ivan lunged for Toris' throat, and the smaller merman threw him off. Ivan snarled and went for him again.

Sofia's arms separated the two, and she bared her teeth, a gesture that instantly put the two in their place. If she decided to, she could challenge Ivan and win, but for now she let him lead their small pod.

_"Ivan, we must stop hunting the humans for now. We have drawn too much attention to ourselves. However, Toris, by injuring Ivan, we lose a hunter. We all must start ranging further, or resort to survival food."_

They all grimaced at the thought of trying to tear apart sea urchins without stabbing themselves repeatedly. The damn things were hardly worth it, but it was food.

Ivan curled up in a small cavern, and then he felt Sofia join him.

_"I'm sorry."_

_"No, Vanya. We needed the food, and you're the only one who knows how to hunt them. But for now, we must find other ways of eating."_

_"Toris' bite went deep. I don't know how long it will take to heal."_

_"Rest until it does. We will find food."_

* * *

Alfred couldn't believe he was out here.

It was almost the middle of winter. The water was freezing now, and he'd finally managed to get to the beach on a day where it was safe to use the kayak.

He carried a pocket knife with him, and a gun, as well as a life jacket.

He paddled out as far as he could, and waited.

Nothing.

Finally, he sighed and headed back.

On the way back, he allowed it to drift for a while, setting his hand on the pistol.

The kayak stopped.

The gun was out in a moment, and Alfred waited.

Hesitantly, the head came out of the water. They stared at each other. The thing was using the kayak as shelter, knowing that Alfred could neither reach him or shoot him without sinking himself. "Will not hurt you." It said softly. "Very sorry for time before."

"You've killed a bunch of people. Five women, three men, a kid who'd just graduated!"

The creature, still using the front of the kayak as shelter, nodded. "My family starving. I responsible for them. It was only way to survive."

Alfred paused. "Why didn't you kill me? Why aren't you trying to kill me now?"

"Will not kill you now because Toris bit my tail. I am weak for now. Did not kill you because I saw something in eyes that said that you should not die."

Al stared at the creature, and then paused. "What is your name?"

"Ivan."

"Do you want to talk to me?"

"Da!"

"Then let go of my kayak. I'd paddle over to those rocks, and sit on them. We can talk from there."

Ivan looked at him strangely, and then nodded, disappearing beneath the water.

Al looked, and realized he must be right under the kayak, still using it as shelter.

"Damn."

He paddled to the rocks as quickly as he could, pulling himself out and sitting down.

Finally, the head of pale hair emerged out of the water again, still behind the kayak. The violet eyes watched him.

"So, Ivan, what do you want to ask?"

Ivan was silent, and then he lifted his head up higher.

Al saw the gills on his neck, and watched as they sealed themselves. The nose on that face, which had high cheeks, opened, and the creature inhaled.

"What is your name?"

"Alfred."

Ivan tilted his head. "I will call you Fredka."

"No you won't."

Ivan glared at him, and suddenly Al realized that if the damned thing could breath without gills, this itty-bitty rock wasn't a great amount of protection.

"On second thought, Fredka is fine."

Ivan suddenly smiled, and Al found himself staring at a mouth full of needle sharp teeth.

_Shit, what the hell have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

Ivan, despite his injury, was in a pleasant mood when Natalia got back.

She looked at him, and in the way a mermaid already bonded with a mate could tell, she knew he had found a mate.

_"Who?"_

_"Huh?"_

_"You have a mate, don't you?"_

Ivan paused, and then he nodded.

_"But he is a human."_

* * *

Alfred found himself heading back out into the waves, wondering what the hell he was doing.

Settling on the rock, he silently waited.

Finally, the face he had grown so familiar to appeared.

"I didn't bring any weapons today, so if that's what you were worried about, you can come out from behind the kayak."

Ivan tilted his head, looking at Alfred curiously, and then nodded, swimming around the kayak and pulling himself onto the rock halfway, letting his tail remain in the water.

Alfred looked at his body and realized how powerful Ivan must be. His shoulders were broad, and his body was long. From the little bit of the tail that he could see, he could imagine the powerful muscles that propelled him through the water.

But at the moment, his body was slightly emaciated, and he didn't look very strong.

"You hungry?" He asked, kneeling by the kayak.

Ivan nodded.

"I don't know if you'll like anything, but it's what I have.

He offered Ivan some beef jerky, which he chewed on gratefully, though Al noticed he tucked part of it in a small net he had slung across where his body and tail met.

When Al offered him a turkey sandwich, Ivan took a small bite to be polite, and then pulled the sandwich apart to reach the turkey, leaving the lettuce and bread for the gulls.

Al was glad he'd packed a second sandwich.

"Why are you saving some of it?"

Ivan paused, and then spoke. "My sisters have not caught anything since last saw you. Other pods settled in this area now, and with their larger numbers, they able to catch more. I must share whatever food I find, or am given."

"So you travel in family groups like orcas?"

"Da, though Orcas are assholes."

Al nearly choked, and Ivan looked at him with concern. "You alright?"

Al started laughing. "Assholes? So you do swear!"

Ivan frowned. "Orcas are not funny, Fredka. If merfolk too close when they hungry, goodbye life. Lose many members of pod that way."

Al stopped laughing, and from the fire in Ivan's eyes, he knew he had made a mistake. "I wasn't laughing about the orcas. I was laughing about the fact that you swore. I didn't know you knew those words."

"Words like that not used lightly." Ivan said, still angry.

"Did you lose someone to the orcas?"

Ivan's face lost some of it's fire, and he nodded, melancholy. "Da. My mother."

Al reached out to touch his shoulder, a gesture of comfort, but the mermaid suddenly turned his head sharply towards the sea. "Someone coming. I must go."

"Wait!"Al heard himself say before the mermaid was gone.

Ivan turned, and Al could tell he was anxious to get going.

"I'll try to come back soon. Will you still be here?"

Ivan suddenly smiled again. "Da. Until spring. Goodbye, Fredka."

And with that, he disappeared under the waves.

A Coast Guard craft came by right as Al had climbed back into the kayak. He had no idea how Ivan could have heard it so far away.

"There's a storm coming in, so you'd better head to shore. A lot of people have disappeared around here lately, and we don't want you to become one of them."

Al nodded, and then paddled towards the shore, disappointed that he hadn't been able to spend more time with Ivan.

* * *

Sofia could see her brother was smitten.

The strange dried meat, which was odd, but filling, made their stomachs happy, as for the first time in two weeks, it had something other than fat or urchins to work on.

The bite on his tail was almost completely healed, and it drifted, almost lazily through the current.

Toris, keeping his voice low, spoke. _"If he does not find a way to be with that human, than he'll suffer."_

Natalia nodded. It was hard on a mermaid's health to be away from their mate for too long.

Sofia spoke. _"Another pod spoke of coming across a sea witch, but they say her prices are high."_

_"Then it's too dangerous."_

_"I think it's our only option."_


	3. Part Three: A Sea Witch's Price

Elizabeta bore the appearance of an orca, denoting her power. Though a mermaid might be fair prey to an orca, a sea witch would destroy the creature before it had time to think another thought of eating her.

Her home was in just off the coastal slope, attached to land by a few threads of magic.

_"I do not like this."_ Ivan stated as they headed towards the sea witch's home.

Sofia shrugged. She had invoked her matriarchal rights to bring Ivan here. The temporarily demoted Ivan had obeyed her like a sullen child, and his enthusiasm was about the same.

_"We're only going to ask her."_

He frowned, silent.

Sofia neared the entrance, and then spoke.

_"Great lady of the deep, Daughter of Calypso, we ask your audience."_

Silently, the doors opened, and a stream of magic spilled out.

Sofia saw Ivan's tail flicking nervously, and knew he wanted to bolt.

So she grabbed his arm and dragged him inside.

* * *

Warmth.

Alfred felt the weather get warmer every day, and knew that the pods had probably left by now.

He had his own kayak now, because Matthew had wanted his back.

He sighed. Most people would want to spend time here during the summer, but after those times he had spoken to Ivan, he wished winter was here again.

He sighed, and headed home.

He worked as an artist, mostly freelance, though he did a popular web comic as well.

Over the last few months, his apartment had become filled with artwork of mermaids.

A few were female, often with drawn faces, or frightening appearances, but most were male.

Specifically one male.

Al stared at the watercolor. Ivan's eyes were the right shade, and everything looked right, but something was off.

Finally, he realized his mistake. He had portrayed them as very warm in this picture, which given the moment, was not how they should have been.

Once the watercolor was done, he looked across his apartment at the oil painting he'd been working on.

He had nearly finished it. He saw his face, full of agony, straining towards the surface.

Around him was the tail of the mermaid, rust red, holding his legs together. The hand over his mouth, and the fist pressing into his stomach.

He had no idea why he'd wanted to paint that scene, but it had felt right somehow.

Ivan's features were yet to be finished on this. The silver hair was spread out, but his face was shrouded in darkness.

Al reached out to touch it when he heard the doorbell ring.

He opened the door to find Matthew standing there.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to check on you."

Al looked at Matt. "Well, I'm alive, and have all my bits and pieces, so you've checked on me, and now I'm going to go back to work."

Matt's hand stopped Al from shutting the door. "You haven't heard, have you?"

"What?"

"They found Arthur."

Al felt his body tense up, and then he asked. "Is he..."

Matt shook his head.

"Goddamnit. All these years, I'd just hoped that he'd decided to take off and never come back."

Matt nodded. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah."

* * *

"It was just a fragment of the ship, but they managed to identify it. It was his vessel."

Al looked at the ocean scene he'd painted, with the waves crashing on the shore.. "At least he died doing something he loved."

The two boys had grown up in the system after Arthur's disappearance, managing to make the best of it, even when it was bad.

Matt looked around Al's apartment. "This seems like a grim scene."

His eyes had focused on the painting.

"It's a display of how I felt when the wave overturned the kayak."

Matt gave him a look that informed Al his lying skills were still incredibly bad.

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Well, given the fact that practically almost every drawing currently up on the wall is a drawing of the same merman, I might be more believing than you think."

Al sighed, and began his story.

* * *

The sea witch looked the two over. _"Humph. What do you wish to ask?"_

_"Is it possible to join a human on the land?"_ Sofia asked.

The sea witch turned and gave her a long look. _"And why would any of our kind be willing to give up their tail and walk among the landers?"_ Then she turned to Ivan. _"You are the reason she is here. Answer me."_

Ivan finally made eye contact with the witch, and then whisper quiet, said it.

_"My mate is human."_

_"Does he love you, this Fredka?"_

Ivan was startled. He hadn't even told Sofia Fredka's name.

_"I believe he does."_

_"Belief is not enough. If you give up your tail, he must give up his legs for you. This is a dangerous deal, young one."_

Ivan was silent.

Finally, the witch spoke. _"I would be willing to give you a deal if you could do a favor for me in return."_

Sofia nodded, regaining control of the conversation.

_"Find the merman named Roderich, and give him this."_

The sea witch pulled out a necklace with many different shells. One half bore dark blue and black shells, the other bore orange and greens and cream colored shells.

Sofia took the necklace, and felt the weight of it. It carried memories, it seemed, of a long time ago.

_"And do you know where Roderich dwells?"_

_"He feeds off the western coast of Greenland during the summer. His pod is ruled by a strong female. He will probably annoy her, and almost act like her mate, but her mate is a much smaller mermaid. Give him the necklace, and tell him that the summer is a fair maiden who sings a song of love."_

Sofia nodded. _"We will do as you ask."_

* * *

They finally caught up with Toris and Natalia as they neared the feeding grounds.

Natalia tackled both her siblings. For two weeks, she and Toris had been travelling alone, and that had made them a target for many different ocean-going predators.

Even Toris greeted Ivan enthusiastically.

They were a family, after all.

Sofia allowed Ivan to take charge again, and he headed towards the coast of Greenland. They followed him without question.

For weeks they fed with other pods, asking if a Roderich lived with them.

They all answered no.

Finally, a dark haired, silent merman named Kiku nodded. _"Yes. He lives here."_

They dined with the pod that night, and they all watched. Kiku flitted about a larger merman named Heracles.

A very small, loud mermaid with curls in her hair laughed and spoke rapidly to the leader of the pod, a blond merwoman who had clearly run across a few dolphin fights before, given the scars on her back.

A very annoying merman named Gilbert kept putting the moves on Sofia, and finally she snarled and snapped at his neck, establishing to the red-eyed bastard that she was not interested.

Finally, a dark haired merman with a blue tale returned with another, carrying a net of small fish.

The merwoman, who had not wished to give her name, pointed him out. _"That is Roderich."_

Sofia looked to Ivan, and he nodded, taking the necklace. It was his task, after all. If Sofia was the one to give him the necklace, the witch would not help Ivan.

The dark haired merman watched him approach.

_"Are you Roderich?"_

_"Yes."_

Ivan handed him the necklace and spoke. _"The summer is a fair maiden who sings a song of love."_

Roderich stared at the necklace, and then looked to Ivan, his eyes confused. _"Who entrusted you with this?"_

_"Her name is Elizabeta."_

The merman's eyes grew wide, and then in excitement, he grinned, holding the necklace.

_"All these years. All these years, and she remembered!"_

The merwoman smiled faintly. Her mate Felicia flicked her tail in a nervous happiness.

_"I suppose you will be leaving us come fall, Roderich."_

The merman suddenly frowned. _"I should remain with you. The pod needs as many as it can have..."_

Gilbert shoved Roderich. _"Leave now before I'm tempted to steal another net from you."_

Roderich shoved him back, and a small fight ensued.

The merwoman sighed. _"I'll go put my brother in his place. Stay the night if you wish."_

The small pod spent the entire rest of the summer with the larger pod.

* * *

Matthew listened to the story, and then nodded.

"I believe you."

"Matt, did you hit your head on the way in here?"

He shook his head. "No. Remember when I broke my arm?"

Al nodded. He'd been playing baseball, and spent the night at a friend's house. When he'd come home, Arthur had returned from a fishing trip with Matt, and Matt had a nasty broken arm and some pretty bad bruises.

"Yeah. Arthur was pretty mad about it."

"Yes, well, I was a bit reckless, but that wasn't why my arm was broken. We'd been pulling a net up, and Arthur had me wearing a life jacket, like he always did. The net had gotten stuck, and I reached out to help him pull it up. And instead, I just accidentally went overboard."

"Arthur was swearing, but I was fine. I had a life jacket, and I was right next to the boat. He was starting down to get me when I disappeared."

"He told me what happened after that."

"He said that he jumped in to get me, thinking the buckles had popped on my jacket. He turned, and finally saw the flash of orange under the boat."

"There I was, but something was holding me, using the boat to keep both me and it underwater. It had snapped my arm to keep me from getting away."

Al recognized the scenario, remembering the woman he'd talked too.

"Arthur managed to get me away from it. He said he tackled it with his fishing knife, leaving it with a cut on the shoulders, and it let go of me, fleeing. Then he grabbed me and got me out of the water before it came back."

"He said never to tell you, because it was bad luck to tell someone that a mermaid tried to steal you."

Alfred stared. "And you kept it secret all those years?"

"Yeah. Arthur disappeared right after that. I thought that if I told you what happened, you might disappear as well."

Al reached over and hugged his brother. Matt smiled weakly in appreciation.

"So, you and this Ivan have become friends?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure he's not going to hurt you?"

"After the first encounter, he's done nothing but be gentle."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Can I come with you next time? I think that I'd like to see him."

Al paused, and then nodded. "Yeah, that would be fine."

The two brothers then spent an evening together reminiscing on the life they'd once had with Arthur, and how much they missed him.

 


	4. Part Four: A New Way Of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter! Hope you enjoy!

The pod returned, and Ivan led Roderich to the sea witch's home.

The doors swung open before they had even arrived.

Roderich swam inside, and Ivan, right behind him, saw Elizabeta's eyes grow wide.

_"You came?"_

_"Why wouldn't I?"_ He asked, taking her hand.

The sea witch smiled, and then he set the necklace around her neck.

_"I thought you had died, love. To have them bring me your necklace and say those words... I knew I had to find you."_

Elizabeta smiled, and then turned to Ivan. _"I can see your heart is good. Wait a moment."_

She returned with two seashell necklaces. _"I cannot give you the power to live on the land forever, but every half year, you may emerge and spend the rest of the year ashore, until the sea calls to you again. I_ _f your mate is true to you, with this shell, he can join you in the water for half a year, and then he also must return to his own home._ _This way, you can live together._ _When you grow old in your land form, return here with him.I will gift him with gills, and together you can swim for the rest of your lives, if you so wish."_

Ivan smiled, accepting the gift, but then a small frown crept onto his face. _"What if we decide to raise children?"_

The witch frowned, annoyed, but the merman chuckled. Finally the witch sighed. _"Then return here, and I will gift you with another necklace. But do not abuse this power, Ivan. I will not give them to you eternally."_

Ivan nodded, and then he left, the two necklaces wrapped around his wrists, headed back to his pod.

* * *

Alfred and Matthew sat on the rock, silent and waiting.

Finally, from behind the kayaks, the silver haired head appeared.

“Ivan, I don’t mean to scare you, but this is my brother, Matthew. He wanted to meet you.”

Ivan looked at Matthew, and then he shook his head. “No. He get angry. He will scream  to go away.”

Matthew frowned. “I won’t do that. I haven’t even met you before.”

Ivan shook his head. “No. No good.”

Al bent over and reached his hand out to Ivan. “Hey, it’s okay.”

Ivan’s purple eyes disagreed.

“Why are you so scared?”

“Knife.”

Al raised an eyebrow. “Did you bring anything like that?”

“No, you told me not too.”

Ivan shook his head. “No, he protected by one with knife. Knife hurts, worse than Toris’ bite.”

Matthew’s eyes grew wide. “A knife? You… you were…”

Ivan backed away, looking scared, and his eyes were darting around, as though trying to see if there was another person.

Al leaned out, too far, and allowed himself to hit the water. In an instant, he grabbed Ivan. Ivan startled, trying to escape.

“AL!” Matthew shouted, panicking.

Ivan slapped Al with his tail, and the blow stung. “Ivan, stop!”

Then he saw Ivan bare his teeth, and turned, preparing to strike. Al did the first thing he thought of.

His lips crashed down on Ivan’s, and suddenly the merman froze.

Al pulled apart, and saw that both Matthew and Ivan were giving him confused stares.

“Uh, it was the first thing I thought of.”

Ivan had stopped struggling, and instead a smile started to grow on his face. Fortunately for the brothers it was a closed mouth smile.

Al swum back to the rock, and Matthew pulled him out of the water. “Your lip is bleeding.”

“My fault.”

“I sorry, Fredka. Not mean to hurt you. Just scared.”

Matthew turned and began to swear. “You could have fucking killed him, you bastard!”

“Matthew…”

“No! I don’t care much about the past. I survived. But never hurt my brother!”

Ivan didn’t move, and Al turned, offering a hand. “It’s okay. He’ll calm down in a little bit.”

Ivan slowly approached the rock, and then accepted Al’s hand, pulling himself up onto the rock with them.

Al saw it. A thin pink line across the top of his shoulder blades.

“The knife cut here?”

“Da.”

Matthew watched the two. Finally, once Ivan was calm, Matthew joined them at the base of the rock.

Ivan looked at him in silence, and finally Matthew asked.

“Why’d you try to kill me?”

“Mother just eaten by orca. Father killed for crime. Sofia, Natalia and I all banished. Hungry. Natalia sick. Needed food. Took risk. Lost bet.”

“He doth speaketh in riddles.” Matthew said.

Ivan tilted his head, confused.

“He doesn’t understand entirely.” Al said. Then he turned to Matthew and spoke. "He means that he took a major risk by hunting you, and it didn't pan out. He ended up worse off for all of it."

Matthew looked at Ivan and frowned. "You've killed a lot of people over the years."

"I never do again. Toris make me realize I am monster, like father. Father killed because he only hunt humans. Pod's matriarch lose her mate in trap meant for father. She kill him. Banish us because we his children and know how to hunt them too. By banishing us, she force us to eat humans, and be monsters as well."

Al looked to Matthew, begging him with his eyes to forgive Ivan.

"Did you kill the man with the knife? He was our father."

Ivan shook his head. "I did not know your father dead. I very sorry."

Finally Matthew nodded. "I don't care that you tried to kill me before, as I said earlier."

Al smiled, and then the two brothers spent the whole afternoon speaking to the mermaid.

But before he left, Ivan whispered into Al's ear. "Please come tomorrow so we can talk alone. I have something ask you."

Al nodded. "Alright."

* * *

Al returned the next day, alone, though Matthew told him that they only had an hour before he came out to check on them.

Al had barely sat down on the rock when Ivan appeared.

"Ivan, was everything okay yesterday?"

"Fredka, do you love me?"

Al sat in silence.

Ivan looked at him, and his eyes begged him to answer.

"Why are you asking me this?"

Ivan's eyes grew sad. "Because I love you, Fredka. And I had hoped you might feel the same."

Ivan turned around , and he began to head away from Al.

"Ivan, wait!"

Ivan turned back and looked at him.

"When I'm around you, it feels good. I want to talk to you nonstop and I don't know why. And yesterday... Well, I think maybe I've been meaning to do that for a while, but... I'm not sure I'm comfortable saying I love you, because you're a merman and I'm not."

Ivan returned, and then he showed Al two bracelets that he'd never seen before. "Sofia and I help a sea witch and she give me magic in exchange. This allow me to live on land with you for half of year for every year. And that you can come live in water with me for other half, if you want to."

"Why do you want to be with me? I'm not objecting, but I don't understand."

"Merfolk see others and know that they are supposed to be mates. When let you go that day, it was because by hurting you, I hurt me. I realize we are supposed to be together, but I did not want scare you, so just talk to you. Now I ask that you let me come with you."

Al nodded, and then leaned over and took Ivan's hands. "Then come with me, Ivan, and spend the winter in the human world. We'll return to your home in the summer."

Ivan smiled and then, as Al began to paddle his kayak back, Ivan followed him.

* * *

Matthew walked out onto the beach, to head out and find Al.

Then he saw the kayak.

"Al?!"

"Over here!"

Matthew ran over, and finally spotted Al.

He was sitting next to a man, who was wrapped in a blanket.

Matthew stared at the man, hardly believing it.

Al looked up and then smiled. "Matthew, meet Ivan, in a bit of a different form than you last saw him.

Matthew saw feet poking out from under the blanket.

"How...?"

Ivan smiled. "With help of sea witch, can do many strange things."

Al smiled, and from the look on his face, Matthew knew in an instant. That look was the same one he gave Carlos.

Love.

Matthew helped Al get Ivan to his feet, and they led him to the car. Matthew ran back to get the kayaks while Al tried to help Ivan understand that a car was not going to hurt him.

* * *

After a few months, Ivan was adjusting well.

Al constantly found him staring at his teeth.

"Vanya, is it that big of a deal?"

"Is so weird, Fredka!"

"It's so weird, Vanya, not is so weird."

"Hummph, you will not be so mean when I teach you merfolk language."

For some reason, Ivan's gills hadn't disappeared, so Al had given him a nice warm scarf to use to hide his neck.

Ivan also complained about the cold constantly.

"Fredka, it's freezing outside!"

"You're just not used to weather like this, Vanya. Give it time."

"You just say that to make me feel less strange for wearing long coat when you are wearing short sleeved shirt."

Al leaned against Ivan, and then brushed a hand against the side of Ivan's face. "Why would I want you to take it off in here? It makes you look very sexy and mysterious."

"Are you telling me to head to other room?"

Al sighed. "No. I wish, but Matt's coming over soon with Carlos."

Ivan gave him a small sad frown.

"I promise to make up for it later, once Matt and Carlos are gone."

Ivan grinned, and then kissed Al. "Promise, Fredka?"

"Da, Vanya. I promise."

* * *

Ivan and Carlos seemed to get along fairly well, which made Matt and Al breathe sighs of relief.

Carlos didn't particularly like the fantasy tale that they'd all told him, but he finally nodded, and that allowed everyone to relax.

"When are you two going to head to the ocean?" Matt finally asked.

Al looked at Ivan.

"Two months, then we leave. Natalia and Sofia wait for us."

Carlos nibbled at his ice cream, and spoke. "What's it like, living in the ocean?"

Ivan paused.

"The ocean is a cruel mother, giving and taking life at her whims. But her arms are strong, and protect us from those who want to hurt us. Water gives us life, water takes it from us. Land is nicer in many ways than ocean, but ocean is home."

Al had noticed that whenever he talked of the ocean, Ivan grew quieter and seemed to be lost in deep thought.

Once Carlos and Matt were gone, Al asked him.

“Are you okay?”

“Natalia and Toris are going to have children. Sofia has led pod since I came here. I feel I have abandoned family, Fredka. That is bad feeling to have.”

“Vanya, if you want to go back early…”

“No, because then you be lost when you come to ocean, like...how do you put it?”

“Like a lost puppy?”

“Da. If I leave you, you be lost puppy who does not know how to swim.”

“I know how to swim.”

“Not with tail.”

“Fine, fair point, you win the argument.”

Ivan chuckled. As a human, he was still taller than Al, though it was only a few inches, instead of the difference of a few feet when he was a merman.

“Fredka, it is getting cold again. I think I will go to other room. You will join me, da?”

“Following behind so as not to get lost like a puppy.”

“You mock me.” He said, pretending to be offended.

“Only because I love you, Vanya. Because I love you.”

Ivan smiled, and swept Al up into his arms. “And I you, Fredka.”

 


End file.
